‡ Promise 11: Forgiven ‡

-As told by Lily-

walked around the school, searching for signs of Jody and Tommy, only to realize that Jody didn't come to school again. Most likely, she is still upset. But I did get a glimpse of Tommy today. He was standing by his locker, ready to head for his next class, when I had entered the other end of the hall. The bell rings, signaling to students to head for their next classes soon, and he began to walk away. "Tommy!" I call down a crowded hallway, trying to make my way through a sea of laughing and chattering students.
He stops for a instant, without turning back to face me, and then walks up faster towards his classroom. I guess he didn't want to talk to me. I wanted to cry, right on the spot, but fought back the tears. Instead I sat in the hall, up against a wall, too depressed to head for the next class. In the matter of seconds, I was alone in hall, left with my guilt and sadness. "Just give them time.", Keith's words echoes. But his advice was very little comfort. As time goes on, I feel more worse inside.
That afternoon, I felt drained, as my mother drove me home. She was going on about her boost in sales, giving the credit to our move to Promise Falls, but I was hardly listening to her cheery words and excitement. I then shifted the blame of my depression on something else, this town. I hate this town, if I had never moved here, none of this would happen. I would be back in New York, with my many friends, going to a school that accepted me... and no demons would be there. There would be no hell-world hidden under my city. There would be no mysterious writer living next door. I wouldn't feel this bad, in my city.
But instead of making my guilt less, by shifting it this way, I made myself homesick. And the tears began to silently fall. "Lily?" asks mom, concerned, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" "Oh," I said, wiping away the tears, "I just don't feel well today." "Chubby-bear." she sighs, taking a hand off the steering wheel to feel my forehead, "No temperature. Is it stress?" "Yeah," I breath, knowing that the word is an understatement, "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." "I'm going to worry," she said, shaking her head, "I'm your mother, after all. We're hard-wired to worry." "Yeah." I said, my mind wandering off.
As we headed inside the house, my mother offered for me to take a day off from school. Of course, I refused, fearing I would miss a chance to see Jody or Tommy. So, she insisted that I grab some snacks from the kitchen and spend the rest of the day in bed. "Just relax." she assures, "I'll bring your dinner, later. And don't study too hard." "Fine." I sigh, heading for the kitchen to grab a box of cookies and some milk.
I cross the kitchen and reached into the top cabinet, over the sink, grabbing a box of chocolate chip cookies. These things always taste like crap, but mom doesn't bake anymore, not since she started her online business. I haven't had a homemade cookie, since I was ten years old, and now I'm use to the tasteless boxed brand. I turned towards the fridge and caught a glance through the kitchen's door window. Keith was out in his yard again. I edged up to the door, spying on him once again.
He was trying to rake the yard again, this time making a nice pile of leaves, and chatting with that weird pet of his. Without thinking, I grab a glass and fill it with grape juice, and then head out into my yard. I know I may be pissing him off more, but I can't seem to help myself.
As I walk towards the hedges, I realize that not only did he had one pile of leaves, there were two, neatly side by side. Talon lifted his head towards me, a look of murder in it's eyes, causing me to shudder. "Miss Lily." sighs Keith, a little annoyed. "Hello, Mr. Rolmir." I said, thrusting the glass in his direction, "I thought you might be thirsty." He looked towards the glass, as if it were alien to him, and suddenly I felt stupid. "Oh," I blush, pulling my hand back, "You don't drink stuff like this, do you? I-I... wasn't thinking."
He quickly grabs my hand and the glass, causing me to gasp, still staring at the glass as if it was something odd to him. His fingers felt warm and soft on my hand, he smells of spicy aftershave and a hint of sweat, and he gave me a soft smile. I think my heart skipped a couple of beats, as I look away, blushing like mad. "I do drink grape juice." he said, taking the glass and releasing my hand, "And I do happen to enjoy many of your mortal foods. It's just odd."
He took a sip and looks towards his yard. "What's odd?" I ask. "That you're offering." he said, "One would tend to think, that you're trying to be one's friend. Even though, I've made it clear that I have no interest and for the reason that you know what I truly am. Normal people do not make friends with demons. And the reverse is true, normal demons do not make friends with mortals." Now I was the one getting annoyed. "Well," I frown, "Maybe I'm not normal!" "That's what I'm beginning to see." he said, then took another swallow from the glass. I wanted to smack him one, just then, make him choke on it.
He turns suddenly, to take in the sight of his neatly piled leaves, a slight pride in his work. "But," he says, "I don't want to be rude. Thank you, Miss Lily, for the tip about the rake. And thanks for offering me this drink. You have been helpful." A breeze blew by, messing up the piles a bit, a horrified look flashed across his face. He growls, giving the piles a hateful stare, as if it were their fault. "Well," I grin, "They're not going to stand neatly there forever. The next step is to bag the leaves, into yard-bags. Set them out for trash pick-up."
"I see." he sigh, "So many rules for this game." "Game?" I ask, bewildered, "This isn't a game, it's a chore!" "I was being facetious." he nods, "I've lived for centuries, don't you think I would know the difference between chores and games?" "Well," I said, folding my arms, "You didn't know how to use a rake." "True," he shrugs, "But I assure you, I do know this a chore. Don't worry your pretty little head, I'm not that helpless." "Who could tell?" I grumble. "Hey, I-" he frowns, then suddenly lets it go.
He gives me a soft sad look. "You do remind me, so much, of her." he says, quietly, "But I just can't go there again." "What are you talking about?" I frown. "What I am saying," he said, more firmly, "Is that we can't be friends. We can never be friends. I am sorry that your real friends aren't speaking with you now, but I can't be their replacements. Thank you for being kind and helpful, but I think it's best if you don't bother me anymore." Keith hands back the glass, half full, and heads quickly into the house. I am left alone and confused, trying to figure out what went wrong. Feeling bad again, and ready to cry, I head back inside to face my box of cookies and milk.
Lying in bed now, dressed in black and purple night-wear, I go over the conversation with Keith in my head. Maybe I was too rude. Maybe I should apologize. I wonder what he meant by, "You do remind me, so much, of her." Did he once love someone, some girl of his past, that had died? If I remind him of her, does my appearance cause him some type of pain, stirring up old memories? But whoever she was, I'm not her! I have to make him realize that we can be friends, if he wanted it to be that way. Does he want to be my friend, deep down inside? I want him to be my friend.
My mother enters the room, carrying a tray of food, a frown on her face. "I don't know why you choose the attic." she huffs, placing the tray on my lap, "Though, I have to admit you did a good job sprucing up the space. It does look like a livable room." She spies my gothic posters and gives another frown. "Thanks mom," I said, picking up a fork, "For the dinner." "Is my chubby-bear feeling better?" she smiles, sitting next to me and running a hand through my hair. "A little." I lied, feeling worse now than before. "Good." smiles my mother, satisfied. I take a bite of roast beef, fighting back the tears again.
The next day, my father drops me off at school, the third time this week. "Have a great day, sweetie." he calls from the car and then drives off. Until Jody or Tommy forgives me, I won't have a great day any time soon. The school hallways fell cold and lonely, as I approached my locker alone, missing the smiles and chatter of Jody. I wonder if she's okay. I'm too much of coward to call her again, afraid that she'd just refuse to talk to me again. My stomach began to hurt and I could feel the tears threatening to well up again. I let out a long sigh and close my locker.
By lunch hour, I'm feeling drained again, as I head into the cafeteria and spot Tommy sitting at a table. But he was surrounded by some unknown kids, who were teasing him and flicking food his way, though he smiled like it was a big joke among friends. I thought about joining him, but decided that would be a bad idea. Most likely it would cause him more trouble, with the "weird-girl" sitting uninvited to a table, and standing up for the school's scapegoat. Knowing myself, I wouldn't be able to help it and would put those jerks in their places. And then, Tommy would be angry with me again, for being mean to his "friends".
Instead I sat alone, at our usual table in the empty corner, and just stared at my tray. This time, I didn't try to stop the tears, figuring that no one would see or care. A tray slides onto the table, ahead of me, causing me to look up. It was Jody, a wary frown on her face, but she was sitting down. "Look," she said, ignoring my tears, "I have two rules now. We don't ever speak about 'it' and we don't ever go after 'it' again. Agreed?" It took me a second to realize that "it" meant Keith.
"I'm sorry!" I sob, "I didn't know! I never meant..." "Agreed?" she sighs, not wanting to go there, but wanting an answer to her new terms. "Yes." I said, in a small voice, "Just don't hate me anymore." "Hate?" she laughs, "No, I don't hate you. I was a little angry... still am... a little. But, I don't hate you. You're my friend!" "Okay," I sniffled, wiping my eyes quickly, "I am sorry. And I'll never put you and Tommy in danger again, I swear!" "Pfft!" she waves, "You didn't put Tommy in any danger. He volunteered and ran part of that show. I'm still a little angry at him too. That reminds me, I have to make sure he agrees to the terms too." She leaves the table and heads towards Tommy...